Future of Ukraine: with Russia or with Europe?

COLTA.RU continues the “response” heading: dear people, they answer a question that has been ardently discussed recently.

In Ukraine, passions do not subside around the proposal of the leaders of the European Union about associated membership and the creation of an in -depth and comprehensive zone of free trade with the EU. President Viktor Yanukovych believes that Ukraine is not yet ready for an alliance with the EU economically. Ukrainians, who came to the Maidan of Nezalevniy in Kyiv with EU flags and the slogans “Putin, let go” in a different way. Colta.ru found out what Russian and Ukrainian public figures and journalists think about European integration of Ukraine.

Natalia Vorozhbit

Ukrainian playwright, screenwriter

Ukraine has never had the future with Russia. Russia never seriously perceived Ukraine as a separate independent state. Now this future is flickering, because when Ukraine enters the European Union, then it will be possible to build a new relationship according to the laws of two different neighboring states. And it is like the future. Everything that stands in the way of European integration takes the future from Ukraine.

In the last interview, Putin called Ukraine the economic industry of Russia, he uses rough economic blackmail, trying to prevent Ukraine from signing an association. The more serious the Ukrainian people are opposed to Putinization of Ukraine. It hurts that some of the people standing on Bolotnaya, without understanding, refers to events in Ukraine.

I would like to dispel the myth of many Russians that Ukrainians do not know all the pros and cons of existence in the European Union. We think, read and travel, so soberly evaluate all the risks. We understand and see this on the example of others recently entered the European Union. But we are ready for these risks. We have no choice. We are associated with Europe and hopes with Europe. And Putin’s policy, which includes totalitarianism, aggressive Orthodoxy, ethnic nationalism, imperial ambitions, is that the Ukrainian consciousness rejects, which is why we are baptized and spit over the shoulder, against which we go out to the Maidans (and many of you went to the swamp!). We have always been different, and over the past twenty years, we have been even more affected. Now it is obvious - our ship is more likely to break about the cliff than turn back.

Igor Maltsev

Journalist, writer, publicist

I have a double sensation. My mom lives there. He and his father received an apartment there from the Ministry of Defense on the occasion of the pension even under the USSR. Then the father died, and my mother was left there alone. And one fine morning she woke up as a citizen of Ukraine, being a Leningrad-blocked.

Russia has already betrayed her once, for a damn it again cling to people like my mother? And with European chips, of course, everything will be even worse - Ukraine is still that ass of the world - but at least mom can not steam to see her great -grandchildren in Portugal.

Lev Lurie

Historian, writer, journalist

Suppose I say “with Europe”, and what's next?

The answer is quite obvious. Ukraine does not yet have its own energy carriers, in alliance with Russia it is doomed to the status of Dominion. The relief of the visa regime will allow part of the able -bodied population to go to earn money in Europe, while there will be a difficult transition period. Finally, the rejection of the Union with the EU is able to cause a civil war, because the majority of the population, judging by the surveys, for. Finally, it is convenient for the Russian intelligentsia to have a kind of Taiwan, the “island of Crimea”.

Sergey Shargunov

Writer, journalist

Ukraine is essentially a split state, in different parts gravitates to Russia and to the west. The position of the Ukrainian leadership is to try to deceive everyone, bargaining a convenient position for yourself. As a citizen of Russia, to be honest, the situation with the Russian language in Ukraine is very worried about the situation, and the defending the status of the Russian language - especially where the Russians live, should sometimes be more important than gas games for Russian authorities.

Mikhail Fishman

journalist

The opinion sounds that Yanukovych suddenly turned out of tactical reasons. That Moscow bought it at the last moment, giving financial guarantees of re -election in 2015. Most likely, Torg took place, and Moscow is satisfied with the results. But I would not exaggerate the role of Russia. It seems to me that it is important to understand that what is happening today is already circles on the water, consequences. The fork has already been passed. Yanukovych made his choice two years ago, having put Yulia Tymoshenko in prison - he did not even put it for corruption, but for abuse of powers when signing gas contracts.

It is difficult to say about the future of Ukraine - in a relatively long future, but the future of Yanukovych and Ukraine under Yanukovych seems to be determined, and for a long time. It is in the same dull swamp, where almost all post -Soviet regimes east of the Baltic states settled and where the “king of mountains” has ironly acted: he took power - an entry into it with teeth so that you can only be taken forward from the office.

Yanukovych’s turn is explained by the upcoming elections. But in my view no elections - in the form in which they have been held in Ukraine for the past eight years - is no longer planned. Their Russian-Belarusian scoriant is planned, and a farewell wagging tail towards the European Union can be considered the end of the Ukrainian democratic project only in a symbolic sense. The near future of Ukraine - with regimes, where power is not changing in the elections, but through a crisis or a folk riot.

Leonid Bershid

journalist

The future is with Europe. Ukraine-that part that speaks in Ukrainian or at least on a dense surge-is more like the Czech Republic and Poland than to Russia. And smart Ukrainians despise Russia for Putin with Mizulina. For them, Europe is not an economic choice, this is about the lifestyle. They do not want to live the way people live here, do not want these swings between fear and cynicism. The “departure” of Ukraine from Russia is a matter of time. Unless Russia itself will leave itself so before Ukraine will have enough money to get used to. Then there will be another conversation.

Modest Kingov

historian, publisher, public figure

The future of Ukraine, as well as Albania and Bulgaria, is in geographical Europe. The future of Russia is more interesting - in geographical Asia and Europe. The future of Israel, unfortunately, is exclusively in Asia. Everything else about the civilizational choice between Europe and Russia is pure rhetoric and fiction. Both of them, unfortunately, move the masses. Most often, all the same where they were already born and live.

Anton Nosik

journalist, blogger, startup manager, public figure

I think that the future of Ukraine is inseparable from its present and past. Both in the present and in the past, Ukraine tried to build its statehood with worthless means - whether it was war or alliances with neighboring states. The problem is that it is impossible to build relationships with neighbors without first agreeing on the rules of the hostel inside your own house. The question "under what conditions does Donetsk dictate Lviv?" For Ukraine, it is much more relevant than the issue of association with the EU or joining the Customs Union. I do not know a single democratic country in the world where the central content of politics was not a dispute between supporters of various political economic concepts, but an almost ethnic srach between residents of different areas. The srach based on deep and fundamental disrespect to each other's rights and values. Ukraine in this regard is completely unique (because I do not consider Rwanda a democratic country). And, as long as the Ukrainian authorities remains, a “fair” decision for it would be the entry of the eastern regions in the vehicle, and the Western ones in the EU. But this compromise is hindered by Ukrainian statehood, which implies that the power in the country is one, never unifying to society. If the power of Donetsk, then the West of the country is dragged by force under Russia. And if the power becomes Western, then Donetsk and Kharkov will drag into Europe. They would have agreed on the conditions of the association between the right and left shores - it would be easier for them to live.

Demyan Kudryavtsev

Journalist, writer

The future of Russia and Ukraine in Europe. And this future is further than we want, but closer than it seems to us.

Boris Karelitsky

Sociologist, political scientist, publicist

The question is completely wrong. This is not about choosing between Europe and Russia, but about how many goods where will be directed and at what prices. Europe and Russia have nothing to do with it. This is an ideological nonsense that has nothing to do with the subject of discussion. This, of course, is very convenient to argue about Europe and Russia instead of calculating at what prices and how the commodity flows will move, because nothing is written in the agreement about Europe and Russia, but it is written about goods, prices and tariffs, standards. This is what is about. Therefore, there is a complete nonsense here - not a single word is meaningful and in the case, it is even funny and shameful to talk about it. In general, all this discussion is a shame for Russia and Ukraine and for the people who lead it. For Ukraine, it will be a kayuk and for Europe - a big trouble. This is the same as with Poland, Hungary, Romania, etc. The Romanians thought that they would be attached to Europe in order to increase their living standards at least to the level of Greece. In fact, they were attached to Europe to lower Greece to the level of Romania. The same thing is happening now. The accession of Ukraine to the European market (we note, so far without any political rights), the elites of the European Union are necessary to ensure the further destruction of the social state in Europe, to finish off the European model of democracy, because the accession of each country increases the weight of the bureaucracy and, accordingly, reduces the weight of representative institutions. And in order for further pressure on the labor market in Europe to take place, to lower the level of wages, if not to Ukrainian, then at least to Polish-Rumynsky. Actually, this is the essence of the agreement under discussion. The agreement, of course, will cause catastrophic damage to Ukraine, but it is even more catastrophic for the population of Europe. That is, for Europe, this is a terrible disaster and a terrible threat. Therefore, any person who respects and loves Europe must be death in order to prevent this.

Yuri Volodarsky

writer

The situation in Ukraine resembles a Woodallene match. The future of the country for many years to come depends on where in the coming days the ball, which hung over the net. However, wherever he falls, tension will remain. Ukraine is too heterogeneous, the inhabitants of its regions have too different views and priorities. At the same time, we still have neither a political party, nor a political leader who is able to unite the country.

Speaking exclusively about the economy, then, perhaps, convergence with Russia promises tactical benefits, but they are equal to strategic collapse. Hundreds of thousands of protesters in the squares of Ukrainian cities see the path to autocracy, restriction of freedom of speech, dishonest elections, further growth of corruption in the stop of European integration. Therefore, the answer to the question with whom the future of Ukraine is quite unequivocal. The future of Ukraine with Europe, with present -day Russia, can only have the past.

Anatoly Ulyanov

Socurator Looo.ch

The choice between Europe and Russia is a choice between the two dead. And the one and the other in their own way are choking in their historical heritage and cannot cope with the challenges of the new time, which requires a decisive reprisal against sacred rudiments: nation, patriotism, religion, patriarchy, etc. America does not cope with them either. Thus, none of the key players of the geopolitical bast shoe we discussed is Prometheus, to whose boobs it would be possible to fall to drink the saving flame of changes - post -national, cosmopolitan, secular and transchalian culture.

Both in Europe and Russia there are conservative Renaissance, the growth of right -wing sentiments and a completely fascizoid attitude to migrants. At the same time, the European cultural platform is a much more promising soil for the future than the captivating total of the tower. The European dead in this sense should be understood as a fertilizer rather than sucking a funnel to his hell, as in the case of Russia.

The release of Ukraine from a sadomasochist novel with the Empire Ivanov is important not so much even for Ukraine as for the successful implementation of the great humanistic mission - the neutralization of the Slavic cholera, its dissolution in the new global culture, which we all have to formulate. Otherwise, the world again awaits Picasso's "Hernik".

Russia is an octopus, devouring light. The octopus denying, but conscious of its sunset, and therefore today it is especially dangerous. All this bloody grunt from offended believers, Biryulevsky lesson, Putin bikers and fighters with the propaganda of homosexuality - all this is a route of jail. In fact, Russia turned to a mystical state that arranged an apocalypse to quickly come paradise. Himer sometimes wants to surround this fence, bend down and wait until the people of the people behind him subsided, replacing the birds, the murmur of rivers and the rustle of foliage.

If Ukraine, Belarus and all other “fraternal peoples” leave Russia, Russia will lose the imperial and, therefore, cease to be Russia, decay, which, in turn, will save the continent from the portal from which cyclops, devils, and leviafans climb into our world. The decay of the Union should continue.

Having said this, however, I have to recall this: Ukraine today has no social, economic, and most importantly, cultural grounds for European integration. Modern Ukrainians are, in general, the same wild and conservative people as all other Slavs. The urgent task is not a fantaside masturbation on anyone that is not yet proposed entering the European family, but the development of culture, hack and reprograming of the goat tribe, an evolutionary mutation, mediated transformation. What do we see now? The absence of a progressive opposition and a bunch of cave nationalists who simply can not be without Russia, since Russia is their black muse, the only background on which they can see themselves as people: people are not “Ukrainians”, but “not Muscovites” ...

Arkady Babchenko

Writer, journalist

I think that Ukraine will certainly be in Europe. I was on the Maidan even then, in 2004, and I was struck by the difference and the path that Ukraine managed to go during the time we ceased to be a single state. And this, of course, was a vector towards Ukrainian development. I do not quite understand why Putin needs this non -release of our closest neighbors on the path on which they want to develop. But this, of course, is the residual phenomenon, such spraying with poison, leaving, in the end, and this is temporary. Ukraine will undoubtedly be European and will be free. Both Russia will be both European and free, it is just a matter of time.

Konstantin Krylov

philosopher, publicist, public and politician

First of all, you need to recall what agreements we are talking about. For some reason, many people think that we are talking about such agreements that facilitate the future economic relations of the EU countries. The same agreements were signed by countries such as Albania, Algeria, Latin American countries, etc. But we must immediately say that all these states have not become EU members and will never become them. So, this is not about the entry of Ukraine into the EU, but about the entry of the EU into Ukraine. This little difference changes a lot. We are talking about mutual permeability of economies and that Ukrainian goods, services and labor will be able to easily get to the EU, and Europeans will freely trade in Ukraine with their goods. The Russian side says that this agreement will kill the incompetent Ukrainian economy. There is a certain truth in these words: the Ukrainian economy is now little competitive, and it will be difficult for it to withstand the blow of high -quality European goods and services. The only competitive product that Ukraine produces is labor. Ukrainians are quite mobile, and most likely the massive waste of the economically active population will begin. Ukraine is waiting for a certain shock, and for the country it is quite unpleasant. Ukraine says to this: we all know this, but the association with the EU gives us a chance for the future. Yes, some Soviet plants will be drew up to us, yes, young people will leave, but we will survive all this. This association is of great importance for us, because thereby we are approaching a more developed civilization. We will learn its standards, and after some time it will work on us beneficial. The Union with Russia means the union of further decay. It means that not only our (Ukraine) has no chance of development, Russia does not have them either. It is impossible to argue with this statement, because Russia now, according to all post -Soviet countries, is a gala and para.

Ukrainians who want Europe to themselves (because the EU will not take them to themselves in the near future, there are neither resources nor desires), they really think about their future and are guided by the Ukrainian proverb “better worse, but not like now”. They think about Russia that this is a country without a future, that it is preserving in itself all the most disgusting, backward and vile, and that from this country you need to run anywhere at all costs. The future with Russia is a terrible future, they do not want it. To argue with what they say is very difficult.

But there are still such unpleasant moments: Ukrainians in their anti -Russian speeches very often cross the political line and just anti -Russian performances begin. Естественно, мне, как русскому человеку, это крайне неприятно, поскольку тут уже люди, которые это делают, отталкиваются не только от путинского режима, но и от русского народа. Это уже немного другой разговор, и цена такого отталкивания тоже другая.

Anatoly Golubovsky

социолог, искусствовед, журналист

Я считаю, что наиболее благоприятное будущее — это Россия, Украина и Европа все вместе. Но это идеальная модель, а наиболее вероятным вариантом скорее всего будет Украина с Европой. Россия не может предложить в качестве привлекательной основы для слияния или сотрудничества ничего, кроме газа и денег. Состояние российских институтов, нормы и ценности, которые здесь превалируют или которые власти пытаются насадить, значительно менее привлекательны, чем европейская толерантность и стандарты качества жизни. Поэтому я не очень понимаю, почему украинцы как-то должны стремиться к слиянию с Россией. Модель жизни, которую предлагают европейцы, значительно более человечна. Ну, например, если Россия такая уж безумно православная страна, то почему, собственно, вся Украина должна к этому припасть, если там много католиков? Если Россия прекращает быть светским государством, а становится государством частично теократическим, то это непривлекательная модель для мультикультурной страны, каковой является Украина.

Подготовили Юлия Рыженко, Тамара Великоднева